Minnesota Twins' pitcher Johan Santana of Venezuela is the unanimous selection for this year's American League Cy Young Award for pitching excellence.
Santana, the first Venezuelan to win the Major League Baseball award, received all 28 first place votes and 140 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The lefthander is the first unanimous Cy Young Award winner since Randy Johnson two years ago.
Santana won 20 games, lost only six and had 265 strikeouts, as he helped Minnesota win its third straight American League Central Division title.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling finished second in the voting (27 second-placed votes and 82 points). New York Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera was third (one second and 24 thirds for 27 points). The ballots were cast at the end of the regular season before the playoffs began.
On Tuesday, Houston's Roger Clemens won the National League Cy Young Award for a record seventh time.
Some information for this story provided by AP.
Santana, the first Venezuelan to win the Major League Baseball award, received all 28 first place votes and 140 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The lefthander is the first unanimous Cy Young Award winner since Randy Johnson two years ago.
Santana won 20 games, lost only six and had 265 strikeouts, as he helped Minnesota win its third straight American League Central Division title.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling finished second in the voting (27 second-placed votes and 82 points). New York Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera was third (one second and 24 thirds for 27 points). The ballots were cast at the end of the regular season before the playoffs began.
On Tuesday, Houston's Roger Clemens won the National League Cy Young Award for a record seventh time.
Some information for this story provided by AP.